Kaohsiung doesn’t get the hype Taipei does but honestly? That’s exactly what makes it special. Taiwan’s second-largest city is home to an incredibly warm, laid-back cafe scene scattered across its Gushan, Yancheng, and Qianjin districts.
From waterfront spots near the iconic Pier-2 Art Center to hidden specialty coffee gems, here are the 8 best local cafes in Kaohsiung you shouldn’t miss. If you’re also exploring northern Taiwan, check out the best coffee in Taipei for your next stop.
Now & Then Cafe by NYBC
Best For: Artsy brunch near Pier-2 waterfront
If you only have time for one cafe during your visit to Pier-2 Art Center, make it this one.
Tucked into Warehouse C9 of Kaohsiung’s beloved arts district, Now & Then is the first bistro-style outpost of the N.Y. Bagels Cafe chain, a brand that’s been bringing genuine New York bagel culture to Taiwan since 1998.
Step inside and the NYC loft vibes hit you immediately: soaring industrial ceilings, sunlight streaming through high windows into a two-level space, and a Hemingway quote painted on the wall:
“Every day above earth is a good day.”
It’s the kind of place that makes you want to stay for hours, and you absolutely can, there’s no time limit on seating.
Their hand-crafted coffees, cold brews, and creative drinks pair perfectly with brunch plates, Western pastries, or taro fries on the side. The lime coffee is genuinely unlike anything you’ve tried, and the food menu holds its own among the best restaurants in Taiwan.
Accessible via the Kaohsiung Light Rail, it’s a no-brainer stop if you’re already exploring Pier-2.
Atmosphere: NYC loft industrial vibe, two-level space, sunlit windows, no time limit on seating.
Menu Highlights:
- Hand-crafted coffees and cold brew
- Lime coffee (signature creative drink)
- Western brunch plates and pastries
- Taro fries
- Mixed alcoholic drinks and imported beers
Nearest MRT/LRT: Dayi Pier-2 Station (C12) or Yanchengpu Station (O2)
J Cafe
Best For: Pop culture fans, park-side brunch
Here’s one for the pop culture fans. J Cafe is owned by none other than Jay Chou and sits right inside Kaohsiung’s Central Park, steps from the MRT Red Line station.
The setting alone earns it a visit: there’s something genuinely lovely about stumbling upon a cafe framed by blooming flowers and park greenery.
The interior is eclectic and filled with movie memorabilia, making it wonderfully Instagrammable.
The menu leans Western, think waffles with surprisingly generous portions, frittatas, and American-style dishes.
One heads-up: ordering works in time slots, which can be a little confusing at first, so check what’s available when you arrive.
Fan or not, it’s a perfectly charming park cafe with a story to tell.
Atmosphere: Eclectic movie memorabilia interior, park views, blooming garden surroundings.
Menu Highlights:
- Waffles (generous portions)
- Frittatas
- American-style dishes
- Coffee with milk
Nearest MRT: Central Park Station, Red Line
Address: No. 6, Zhonghua 3rd Road, Qianjin District
Summer Cafe (XiZi Bay)
Best For: Sunset views, budget Hong Kong-style food
Aren’t surprises the best? Summer Cafe, officially 大隻佬茶餐廳, is a wonderfully odd little find tucked into the XiZi Bay (XiZi Wan) neighborhood on the western edge of Kaohsiung, near the harbour.
It’s a Hong Kong-style cha chaan teng decorated entirely in 1970s knickknacks, inside and out, giving it this brilliantly quirky, time-capsule quality you won’t find anywhere else in the city.
The cafe sits within walking distance of National Sun Yat-sen University, making it hugely popular with students, which tells you everything you need to know about the prices (very affordable) and the vibe (cheerful, unpretentious, and busy).
Classic Hong Kong teahouse dishes hit the right spot, especially after a long walk along the bay.
If you happen to catch the famous XiZi Bay sunset here, you’re winning at travel.
Atmosphere: 1970s quirky knickknack decor, student-friendly, cheerful and unpretentious vibe.
Menu Highlights:
- Classic Hong Kong teahouse dishes
- Affordable cha chaan teng staples
- Light bites ideal after a bay walk
Address: No. 66, Binhai 1st Road, Gushan District
Cheer For Cafe
Best For: Shopping, snacking, lifestyle browsing
This one is a vibe. Cheer For Cafe lives inside the Cheer For store, a gorgeous lifestyle and stationery shop in the Pier-2 Art Center’s Warehouse C6-4, and the cafe-within-a-shop concept genuinely works here.
Browse through beautifully designed stationery and homeware, then sink into a seat and rest your feet without leaving the building. Brilliant, really.
The cafe itself spans two floors of a compact corner space and keeps the menu simple: snacks, light dishes, and their now-legendary Thai-flavoured Chicken Wings with lemon.
They’re so well-marinated and punchy that it’s genuinely hard to order just one portion. Perfect fuel for more Pier-2 exploring.
Atmosphere: Indie lifestyle store meets cozy two-floor cafe corner, relaxed creative district feel.
Menu Highlights:
- Thai-flavoured Chicken Wings with lemon (must-order)
- Light snacks and small dishes
Address: No. 2 DaYi Street, Yancheng District, Warehouse C6-4
ArtCo.C6 Bistro and Bar
Best For: Art lovers, evening drinks, Italian food
If Cheer For Cafe is where you browse, ArtCo.C6 is where you properly settle in.
The largest food and drink venue in the Pier-2 Art Center, it cleverly runs as two spaces in one:
- A bistro that serves Italian-leaning food all day
- A bar that comes alive in the evening
What makes it genuinely memorable, though, is the art. The bistro doubles as a rotating exhibition space, and the standout installation featured Little Danny, a large dog sculpture assembled from 843 individual Dalmatian toy dogs. Completely wonderful and unexpected.
The rotating art means no two visits are identical, which is a pretty compelling reason to come back.
Atmosphere: Industrial art-meets-dining space, rotating exhibitions, dual bistro-bar layout in Pier-2.
Menu Highlights:
- Panini
- Pasta dishes
- Evening cocktails and bar drinks
Address: No. 2 DaYi Street, Yancheng District, Warehouse C6-11
Oh! Cafe
Best For: Specialty coffee, remote working, solo visits
Coffee purists, this one’s for you and you’re going to love it.
Oh! Cafe sits just a short walk from the Pier-2 Art Center and does something rather brilliant: when you order a coffee, they actually ask you which beans you’d like to try. That’s the level of care and craft going on here.
The food menu keeps it simple and lovely, sandwiches, scones, and cakes, but honestly, the coffee is the whole point.
There’s a big communal table loaded with power sockets, which makes it a brilliant option if you’re traveling and need to get some work done alongside your flat white.
Oh, and the owner’s dog wanders around the place. That alone earns it extra points.
Atmosphere: Small cozy cafe, communal work table, dog-friendly, warm specialty coffee focused setting.
Menu Highlights:
- Single origin specialty coffee (customer picks the beans)
- Cold brew
- Scones and cakes
- Sandwiches
Nearest LRT: Dayi Pier-2 Station (C12)
Magic Spoon
Best For: Western brunch, weekend treat, remote work
Craving a proper western brunch? Magic Spoon is your answer.
This is the spot that thingsnomadsdo.com singled out specifically for its western credentials and rightly so.
- The eggs benedict are genuinely excellent
- The frittatas are hearty
- The quiches hold their own
It’s a step pricier than your average Kaohsiung cafe, but on a lazy weekend morning, it absolutely earns it.
It draws quite a crowd on weekends, reservations are practically essential on Saturdays and Sundays. Come on a weekday and you’ll find a much calmer scene, fast wifi, and a generous co-working table at the back lined with sockets.
A proper little workhorse of a cafe.
Opening: Daily, weekends get busy; book ahead
Atmosphere: Stylish western brunch restaurant, quiet weekdays, lively weekends, work-friendly back table.
Menu Highlights:
- Eggs benedict
- Frittatas
- Quiches
- Decent quality coffee
Nearest MRT: Central Park Station, Red Line
Local Love River Cafe (MI’s Cafe)
Best For: Early risers, cozy mornings, local feel
Here’s the little insider tip that makes this list worth bookmarking.
Most cafes in Kaohsiung don’t fully wake up until 10am, Kaohsiung runs on southern Taiwan’s beautifully unhurried schedule.
MI’s Cafe, tucked near the Love River, breaks that rule entirely by opening from 8am. For early risers and jet-lagged travelers, that alone is practically heroic.
It’s a small, genuinely cozy space with a lovely boss, nice decor, and homemade food that punches well above the modest setting. Reviewers consistently rave about both the coffee quality and the gyoza.
The wifi is fast and the atmosphere is calm, especially on weekdays.
One honest heads-up from the thingsnomadsdo team who discovered it: it’s a squatting toilet. Very clean, but worth knowing in advance!
Opening: From 8:00am daily, rare early opener
Atmosphere: Tiny cozy local gem near Love River, friendly owner, calm weekday mornings, homemade food.
Menu Highlights:
- Specialty espresso coffee
- Gyoza (homemade, highly rated)
- Brunch and light bites
Area: Near Love River, Gushan/Qianjin border
